Clamping vise



March 31, 1931.

A. H. c. TREPTE CLAMPING VIQE- Filed Feb. 26, 1929 INVENTOR if. H.G. TREPTE ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 31, 1931 uNrrEn srras ALFRED H. G. TREPTE, 015 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA CLAMPING VISE Application filed February 26, 1929. Serial No. 342,718.

My invention is a clamping vise of a type having a movablebody connected to a slidable rack or the like.

An object of my invention is connecting the moving jaw of the vise (this may be called a clamping aw) to a slidable rack which is engaged by a segmental pinion, the pinion in one position allowing free sliding of the rack and jaw to make a quick adjustment and then the pinion engaging the rack and giving a tight clamping action. In connection with such an object I have a further object of retaining the rack and pinion in the adjusted clamping position by a shiftable ratchet with a set of teeth extending longitudinally thereof, such ratchet engaging a fixed tooth.

A still further object of my invention is utilizing a plurality of ratchets or ratchet bars each having a set of teeth, the teeth being staggered to obtain line adjustment and the ratchets each having a weighted end holding them in engagement with the fixed tooth.

Another object of my invention is forming a clamping device or the like with a movable or clamping jaw rigidly connected to a slidable rack bar, said rack bar having a plurality of teeth engageable by a segmental pinion, such pinion being operable by an arm convenient to the operator. A lever is connected to the pinion and has a plurality of ratchet bars connected thereto positioned parallel to each other and having the teeth staggered; the staggered teeth engaging a fixed tooth or other retaining device when the work is clamped between the fixed and the movable jaws.

Another object of my invention is having a movable jaw constructed with work engag- 0 ing end pieces mounted on a rod, this rod extending through a jaw element and is connected to the rack allowing engaging of curved pieces or devices of irregular shape and or" varying length.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 shows part of the bed or vise structure suitable for use with a mitre hack saw;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows, showing work clamped in position for operation thereon;

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial underneath view taken in the direction of the arrow l of Fig. 1, illustrating in particular the ratchet bars;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the clamps disconnected from the work.

In the drawings, I illustrate a bed or table 11 having a bed plate 12 and a longitudinally fixed jaw 13 at right angles thereto. This table is mounted on legs 14 which may set 011 the work bench. This construction is somewhat the same as set forth in my patent application Serial No. 204,799, filed July 11, 1927, Patent No. 1,708,641, dated A ril 9, 1929 for a Mitre hack saw and vise. piece to be operated on 15, is illustrated as resting on the bed plate or base 12.

A movable jaw structure designated generally by the numeral 16 comprises the clamping jaws 17 and 17 which are attached to a rod 18. This rod operates through a jaw element 19, being slidable therethrough. Such element has a set screw 20 to clamp the rod. One of the clamping jaws 17 and 17 is adjustable on the rod and held in position by a set screw 21. It will be noted that each of the clamping jaws has a similar concave section 22 adapted to grip convex surfaces of the work. They also have large similar hookshaped ends 23 and similar smaller opposite curved ends 24, these ends having convex curves and are adapted to grip work of certain shapes.

The bed or base plate is provided with a guideway 25. This is illustrated as being somewhat cross-shaped and receives the cross shaped rack bar 26 which may be termed the slide and slides in the guideway transversely to the bed or base plate. This rack bar has a series of rack teeth 27 the teeth being inclined towards the jaw element.

A bracket 28 is illustrated as depending from the base plate and may be formed in connection with the guide 25 and on this there is pivotally mounted a segmental pinion 29 having teeth 30. A handle 31 is attached to all) the segmental pinion and the teeth may be shifted out of engagement with the ra k bar in the position of Fig. 5 or into engagement therewith in the position of Fig. 2. A lever 32 is rigidly connected to the segmental pin ion and has a plurality of ratchet arms or bars 233 connected thereto. Each of these has a series of teeth 34- inclined towards the lever and there are weights 235 on the end of the ratchet bar. A fixed tooth depends from the base or bed plate, being formed preferably a part of the guide unit his is adapted to enga the teeth of the ratchet bar. These ratchet bars are positioned parallel to each other and preferaoly have a slight curvature illustrated. T weighted ends function to hold the teeth of the ratchet bars into engagement wi h the fixed tooth 36.

.lhe operation of my device is as follows: lh'esuming an a tide to be worked on, called the work, is placed on the base or bed plate and against the fixed jaw as illustrated in Fig. 5. The rod 18 may then be adjusted in the jaw element that the clamping jaw elements 1? and 17 may be adjusted to engage the work. hen the handle 31 is in the posi tion shown in 5 the teeth of the segmental pinion out of mesh with the teeth 27 of the rack and hence the jaw and the rack may spread transversely of the oed and base plate. To effect this operation the weighted ends of the ratchet arms or bars should be lifted. \Vhen the clamping jaw engages the work the lever 31 may be moved to the position of Fi g. 2 and in such action brings considerable pressure on the clamping jaws against the work and at the same time through the medium of the lever 32 the ratchet arms or bars 33 are moved transversely across the fixed tooth 3G and as the teeth in these several ratchet arms are staggered, a. minute and accurate adjustment may be had. The weights as above mentioned hold the ratchet teeth in engagement with the fixed tooth and thus the work is held tightly clamped. To unclamp the work it is only necessary to raise the weighted ends of the ratchet arms sullicient to disengage the teeth of these arms from the fixed tooth 36. The arm 31 may then be readily shifted to allow opening of the clamping jaw from the work.

It is obvious that the jaw element 19 may be shaped if desired to directly engage the work and for certain types of operations the clamping jaws 17 and 17 and the rod 18 may be dis pensed with. Also if more convenient, the handle lever 31 may extend downwardly and be reached by extending the arm underneath the lase plate instead of reaching over the top or around the end. The uideway 25 in the base plate may have a slot of sutficient length to allow the jaws to en age work close up to the fixed jaw 13, or if desired the jaw element 19 may be bent to extend transversely across the base plate so that the clamping jaws may readily engage the Work and still leave the base 12 free of movable structures.

Various changes may be made in the principles of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in the description, drawings and claims.

I claim:

1. A. clamping vise comprising in combination a structure having a base plate and a fixed jaw at substantially right angles and adapted to support work, there being a transverse guidcway underneath the base plate, a racltslidable in said guideway, a jaw element connected to the rack, a bracket depending from the base plate, a segmental pinion pivoted thereon, handle lever connected to the pinion and extendin upwardly above the base plate back of the fixed jaw, a lever connected to the pinion and extending downwardly, a plurality of parallel movable ratchet arms pivotaily connected to the leverand extending transversely below the base plate, having staggered teeth, a fixed jaw depending from the base plate engaging said teeth and weights on the free ends of said arms, the jaw element having a structure connected rigidly with the rack, a rod slidable transversely therethrough, said rod being rotatable, a pair of clamping jaws on said rod, one of said jaws being shiftable longitudinally of the rod and means to clamp the rod to the jawelement.

2. In a clamping vise, a shiftabl'e jaw element having a rod slidable therethrough transverse to the direction of movement, and clamping aws mounted on the rod.

3. In a clamping vise, a movable aw element having a rod slidable therethrough, and clamping jaws mounted on the rod, one of the jaws bein adjustable thereon.

l. In a clamping vise, a jaw element, a rotatable rod slidable therethro ugh transversely to the direction of motion, a fixed clamping jaw and a movable clamping aw on said rod, and means to clamp the rod to the jaw element.

5. In a clamping vise, a slidable jaw element, a rod slidable through said element in a transverse direction to the sliding motion, a pair of clamping jaws on the said rod, said jaws having portions of concave and convex curvature adapted to engage work conforming to the shape of the jaws.

6. A clamping vise comprising in combination a structure having a fixed aw, asl'idable jaw element having a rack, a segmental pinion engaging the rack, a ratchet arm operated by the pinion and engaging a fixed tooth, the jaw element having a rod slidable therethrough with clamping jaws thereon to engage the work.

7. A clamping vise comprising in combination a structure having a fixed jaw, '21 rack slidable transversely thereof having a jaw element secured thereto with a rod slidable transversely of the jaw element with clamping jaws mounted on the rod, said clamping jaws being shaped to conform to the Work, a segmental pinion to engage the rack, means to operate said pinion, a lever connected to the pinion, a plurality of ratchet arms connected to the lever and having staggered teeth engaging a fixed tooth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALFRED H. C. TREPTE. 

